Liquid container dispensing closure

ABSTRACT

A bottle cap for the controlled dispensing of liquid contents is fabricated from two molded plastic parts, one being a cap member for sealing engagement with the lip of a bottle, and the other being a pivotal cover member mounted in the cap and which pivots with snap action into either closed or open positions by the simple application of finger pressure to the rear portion of the cover member. A semi-soft resilient plastic material is molded into one of the abutting arcuate surfaces, either of the pivotal closure member or of the bottle engaging cap member, to effect a high pressure seal therebetween in the closed position. An orifice in the cap is aligned with a spout opening in the cover when in the open position, and is sealed when the cover is closed.

United States Patent [191 Waterman [11] 3,734,359 May 22, 1973 [54] LIQUID CONTAINER DISPENSING CLOSURE [75] Inventor: Neil S. Waterman, Stamford, Conn.

221 Filed: Oct. 27, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 193,024

[52] US. Cl. ..222/484, 222/534, 222/536 [51] Int. Cl. ..B67d 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..222/484, 531,532, 222/533, 534, 536

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,930 6/1966 Woodard ..222/18O 2,979,238 4/1961 Bramming ..222/536 X 3,111,245 11/1963 Libit et a1. ..222/536 X 3,089,626 5/1963 l-lubiliunas ..222/536 X 3,251,516 5/1966 Thomas ..222/536 X 3,318,494 S/l967 Porter et al ..222/534 X Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Larry Martin Attorney-Robert A. Buckles and Garold E. BramblettJ r.

[57] ABSTRACT A bottle cap for the controlled dispensing of liquid contents is fabricated from two molded plastic parts, one being a cap member for sealing engagement with the lip of a bottle, and the other being a pivotal cover member mounted in the cap and which pivots with snap action into either closed or open positions by the simple application of finger pressure to the rear portion of the cover member. A semi-soft resilient plastic material is molded into one of the abutting arcuate surfaces, either of the pivotal closure member or of the bottle engaging cap member, to effect a high pressure seal therebetween in the closed position. An orifice in the cap is aligned with a spout opening in the cover when in the open position, and is sealed when the cover is closed.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 3,734,359

2 wayi A? b X/ 21 22 {Jag 1k n 37 Z5 L 11/) mm! d 54 z! 26 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to improved bottle closures of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,542,256 issued Nov. 24, 1970 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, which may be quickly and easily opened with one hand for convenient dispensing of controlled quantities of liquids. Whereas the prior art bottle closures require the use of two hands, one for holding the bottle and the other for manipulative removal of the cap either by unscrewing or otherwise, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved high pressure bottle cap adapted for opening or closing by the touch of a finger, even while holding the bottle in one hand.

While the bottle top closures of my aforesaid prior patent work admirably for their intended purpose, more stringent requirements of the liquor industry now impose a need for such closures to withstand even higher internal pressures. As is generally known in the art, the prior practice in sealing bottled spirits has included the use of heat sealed plastic sleeves which are placed around the neck and cap of a bottle at the time of bottling, after which such bottled spirits are then subjected to prolonged exposure to very high temperatures in a test oven to determine if any seepage of contents may occur. When seepage develops under these test conditions, as may be detected by discoloration of the cap or sealing sleeve, those bottled goods are discarded and not released for sale to the public. Once the sealing sleeve has been broken or removed, as is necessary to open the bottle caps of prior art closures, the package will no longer pass the stringent heat/pressure tests required by industry. While such tests may be considered unduly severe, nevertheless the object of the industry is to obtain a reclosable bottle cap which will meet such tests and thereby enable a user to reclose the cover on a partly used bottle of spirits and pack or in a suitcase which may be rough handled during storage in an unpressurized baggage compartment of a high flying jet aircraft, without any danger of leakage of seepage occurring.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in the pouring closures of my aforesaid patented devices which enables bottle closures of that type to withstand even greater internal pressures to meet the above mentioned industry requirements, without the necessity of encapsulating bottle necks and caps in heat-shrunken plastic sleeves. A further object is to provide such a closure which will withstand internal pressures in excess of 60 pounds per square inch.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bottle cap with a spout through which limited quantities of liquid may be dispensed under the complete control of the user, and which may be easily and positively closed to produce a high pressure sealing engagement.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the object is to provide such an improved dispensing bottle cap with spout and air vent means to allow continuous pouring of liquids, such as spirits for example.

Additional objects of the invention are to provide such improved liquid dispensing closures with means to prevent leakage or evaporation during shipment or storage, and which are inexpensive to manufacture and commercially attractive to purchasers.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of an assembled closure device according to the invention, shown mounted on the neck of a bottle;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the twopart closure device of FIG. 1, showing the parts disassembled;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled device, taken along the line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3, showing the device in its closed condition; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the device of the invention in its open position ready for pouring.

Similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now in greater detail to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described. A molded plastic cap portion, indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 2, is formed of a relatively rigid thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, polypropolene or the like, and has a recessed cavity 14 formed in the top thereof to receive a mating pivotal closure member, indicated generally at 11, which is also formed of a similar rigid molded plastic. A pair of opposed parallel vertical wall members 15 and 16 formed within the recessed cavity 14 are each provided with a U-shaped trunion socket 17 and an arcuate raised rib portion 18 whose center of curvature is the axis of trunion socket 17. The arcuate segments l8l8 in combination with trunion sockets 17-17 provide pivotal means for receiving and holding the closure member 11 in pivotal relation within the recess cavity 14 when the closure member 11 is assembled with the cap portion 10, as shown in FIG. 1 and in FIGS. 3 through 5.

The pivotal closure member 11 has a depending central portion 19 having a pair of arcuate bearing members 2020 formed on opposite sides thereof, and a -pair of axial shaft portions 2222 formed just below and attached to the flat top portion 21. The center of curvature of the arcuate bearing portions 20-20 is the axis of shaft portions 22-22. When the pivotal closure member 11 is assembled into the recess 14 of cap member 10, by the application of vertical force therebetween, the rounded outer edges of arcuate bearing members 2020 engage the rounded inner edges of arcuate ribs 18-- 18 of cap member 10 forcing the vertical wall portions 15-16 of cap member 10 to elastically deform outwardly thereby enabling the arcuate bearing members 20-20 of closure member 11 to descend within recess 14 of cap member 10 where they then engage the under edges of arcuate ribs l8-18 which then hold the closure member 11 securely in pivotal engagement, with shaft portions 22-22 firmly seated in trunion sockets 17l7.

Still referring particularly to FIG. 2 of the drawing, an arcuate segment 24 on the bottom of depending central portion 19 of closure member 11 is formed of a relatively softer and more resilient plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride or the like, which may be integrally secured to and bonded with the relatively harder material from which the remaining portions of closure member 11 are formed by plastic molding. A pouring hole formed through the depending central portion 19 closure member 11 has a front spout opening 25 connecting with a bottom opening 26 which passes through the soft arcuate segment 24. An arcuate bottom surface 27 formed in the recessed cavity 14 of cap member 10 has a center of curvature coinciding with the axis of pivotal shaft members 2222 of closure member 11 and is provided with an opening 28 which connects with the mouth of a bottle 29 onto which the cap member 10 is mounted by means such as helical threads 30. When the closure member 11 is in its closed position, as shown by FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 of the drawing, the soft plastic arcuate segment 24 on the bottom of closure member 11 overlies and completely seals the opening 28 in cap member 10. Because of the locking force existing between arcuate bearing members 20-20 of closure member 11 and arcuate bearing ribs I8- 18 of cap member 10, due to remaining elastic deformation therebetween when closure 11 has been snapped into assembly with cap 10 as shown in FIG. 3, the softer plastic segment 24 is compressed into tightly conforming and pressure sealing engagement with the arcuate surface 27 of cap member 10, thus assuring a high pressure liquid sealing closure of opening 28.

When the pivotal closure member 11 is pivoted into its open position as shown in FIG. 5, by the application of manual finger pressure to the rear portions 31 of top surface 21, the bottom opening 26 through the softer plastic segment 24 becomes aligned with opening 28 in cap member 10 while the spout opening 25 of pivotal member 11 becomes elevated above the lip 32 of cap member 10 to enable liquid contents within bottle 29 to be poured therethrough. To facilitate continuous pouring, an air vent tube 34 (FIGS. 4 and formed on the bottom of cap member extends downwardly a short distance within the neck of bottle 29 and admits atmospheric pressure through an air vent opening 35 in arcuate surface 27 of cap member 10 when pivotal member 11 is in the open position as shown in FiG. 5. When the pivotal closure member 11 is returned to its closed position as shown in FIG. 4, by the application of manual finger pressure to the forward portion 33 of top surface 21, the softer plastic arcuate segment 24 on pivotal member 11 completely covers and seals air vent opening 35 as well as liquid opening 28, thus preventing any possible leakage of contents from the bottle when the cover is closed. A depending rear skirt portion 36 formed on the top of pivotal closure member 11 engages the top edge of an upstanding rim 36 of cap member 10 in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3 and slides down within rim 37 when opened, until skirt 36 engages a flat annular bottom surface 38 of cap member 10 which serves to stop further pivotal motion in the open position.

While the semi-soft arcuate plastic sealing segment 24 has been shown in the preferred embodiment affixed to the convex rocker arm 19 of the pivotal closure member 11, it is to be understood that the same pressure seal may be effected by applying a relatively soft concave arcuate segment to the concave arcuate surface of the rigid cap member for sealing engagement with a mating rigid convex arcuate rocker arm surface if desired. Also, a raised annular lip may be formed on the mating rigid arcuate surface surrounding the liquid opening and the air vent opening to effect an even tighter pressure seal by impressing corresponding annular depressions in the mating softer plastic segment.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention which, as a matter of language,

might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A liquid dispensing bottle cap comprising in combination,

A. a cap member formed of rigid molded plastic having a recess formed in the top thereof,

1. a concave arcuate surface formed in the rigid bottom of said recess,

2. a depending annular skirt portion formed integrally with said cap member 3. first means on said skirt portion for securing said cap member to the top of a bottle,

4. further means within said skirt portion cooperative with said first means for effecting sealing engagement of said cap member with the annular lip of a bottle to which said cap member is secured by said first means,

5. at least one opening through said rigid concave surface connecting said recess with the opening of a bottle to which said cap member is secured;

6. opposed pivotal bearing means within said recess and formed integrally with said cap member, and;

B. a pivotal closure member receivable in said recess and having,

1. a pair of aligned arcuate shoulder portions engageable with said pivotal bearing means,

2. a convex arcuately curved resilient portion of said closure member corresponding to said rigid concave arcuate surface of said recess and slidably engageable therewith as said closure member is pivoted about the axis of said pivotal bearing means,

3. a rigid portion of said closure member movable into said recess as said closure member is pivoted to an open position,

a. said rigid portion limiting the pivotal movement of said cover member by engagement with a top surface within said recess,

4. a tubular spout opening through said closure member and having,

a. an entrance port in the convex surface of said closure member in alignment with the opening through said concave surface of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and

b. an exit port at the opposite end of said tubular spout extending above the top rim of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a second opening through said rigid concave recessed surface and connecting with a downwardly extending vent tube, and a second tubular opening through the resilient convex surface of said pivotal closure member aligned with said second concave opening when said closure member is in open position, whereby air is admitted to the bottle enclosure to displace liquid poured therefrom and to enable steady continuous pouring.

3. A pivotal dispensing bottle cap as defined in claim 1 and including a skirt portion depending from one edge of said cap closure member opposite to the other end of said spout opening,

1. said skirt portion engaging a peripheral edge portion of said body member to substantially lock said cap in its closed position,

2. said skirt portion manually deformable to disengage from said edge portion and to pivot downwardly into bottom engagement with said recess cavity of said body member, whereby said skirt limits the pivotal movement of said cap into its open position.

4. A dispensing bottle cap having a pivotal closure top manually operable to pivot between a closed position providing a leak-proof pressure seal and an open position providing an exposed spout for continuous pouring, comprising in combination,

A. a rigid molded plastic body member having a depending annular skirt portion adapted to receive and surround the mouth of a bottle,

1. means within said skirt portion for sealing said body member to the mouth of a bottle,

2. a recessed cavity in said body member above said skirt portion,

3. a first concave arcuate surface in the bottom of said recess substantially covering the mouth of a bottle to which said body is sealed,

4. first and second openings through said concave surface connecting said cavity with the mouth of a bottle to which said body is sealed,

a. an open tube extending from said first opening downwardly for a distance approximately equal to the length of said skirt portion,

5. a pair of opposed arcuate bearing surfaces formed on opposite vertical walls within said recessed cavity above said first arcuate surface forming aligned bearing sockets having a center of curvature located on the axis of said first arcuate surface, and;

B. a pivotal cap closure member receivable in said body recess and pivotable between said first arcuate surface and said bearing surfaces into open or closed positions,

1. a convex arcuately curved portion of said closure member formed of relatively softer resilient molded plastic and corresponding to said first concave arcuate surface of said recess,

2. a tubular spout opening through said cap closure member having one end in alignment with the second opening through said concave surface when in the open position and the other end elevated above the rim of said body member,

a. said one end of said spout being sealed against said first concave arcuate surface and the other end being depressed below the rim of said body member when said cap closure member is pivoted to the closed position.

5. A liquid dispensing bottle cap comprising an combination,

A. a cap member formed of rigid molded plastic having a recess formed in the top thereof,

1. a first concave arcuate surface formed in the bottom of said recess,

2. a depending annular skirt portion formed integrally with said cap member 3. first means on said skirt portion for securing said cap member to the top of a bottle,

4. further means within said skirt portion cooperative with said first means for effecting sealing engagement of said cap member with the annular lip of a bottle to which said cap member is secured by said first means,

5. at least one opening through said concave surface connecting said recess with the opening of a bottle to which said cap member is secured,

6. opposed pivotal bearing means within said recess and formed integrally with said cap member,

B. a pivotal closure member receivable in said recess and having,

1. a pair of aligned arcuate shoulder portions engageable with said pivotal bearing means,

2. a second convex arcuately curved surface on said closure member corresponding to said first concave arcuate surface of said recess and slidably engageable therewith as said closure member is pivoted about the axis of said pivotal bear ing means,

3. a tubular spout opening through said closure member and having,

a. an entrance port in the convex surface of said closure member in alignment with the opening through said concave surface of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and

b. an exit port at the opposite end of said tubular spout extending above the top rim of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and;

C. a pliable relatively soft resilient plastic molded insert formed on one of said arcuately curved slidably engageable surfaces and deformable into intimember is in its closed position. 

1. A liquid dispensing bottle cap comprising in combination, A. a cap member formed of rigid molded plastic having a recess formed in the top thereof,
 1. a concave arcuate surface formed in the rigid bottom of said recess,
 2. a depending annular skirt portion formed integrally with said cap member
 3. first means on said skirt portion for securing said cap member to the top of a bottle,
 4. further means within said skirt portion cooperative with said first means for effecting sealing engagement of said cap member with the annular lip of a bottle to which said cap member is secured by said first means,
 5. at least one opening through said rigid concave surface connecting said recess with the opening of a bottle to which said cap member is secured;
 6. opposed pivotal bearing means within said recess and formed integrally with said cap member, and; B. a pivotal closure member receivable in said recess and having,
 1. a pair of aligned arcuate shoulder portions engageable with said pivotal bearing means,
 2. a convex arcuately curved resilient portion of said closure member corresponding to said rigid concave arcuate surface of said recess and slidably engageable therewith as said closure member is pivoted about the axis of said pivotal bearing means,
 3. a rigid portion of said closure member movable into said recess as said closure member is pivoted to an open position, a. said rigid portion limiting the pivotal movement of said cover member by engagement with a top surface within said recess,
 4. a tubular spout opening through said closure member and having, a. an entrance port in the convex surface of said closure member in alignment with the opening through said concave surface of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and b. an exit port at the opposite end of said tubular spout extending above the top rim of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position.
 2. a second convex arcuately curved surface on said closure member corresponding to said first concave arcuate surface of said recess and slidably engageable therewith as said closure member is pivoted about the axis of said pivotal bearing means,
 2. a depending annular skirt portion formed integrally with said cap member
 2. a depending annular skirt portion formed integrally with said cap member
 2. a convex arcuately curved resilient portion of said closure member corresponding to said rigid concave arcuate surface of said recess and slidably engageable therewith as said closure member is pivoted about the axis of said pivotal bearing means,
 2. said skirt portion manually deformable to disengage from said edge portion and to pivot downwardly into bottom engagement with said recess cavity of said body member, whereby said skirt limits the pivotal mOvement of said cap into its open position.
 2. a recessed cavity in said body member above said skirt portion,
 2. The combination of claim 1 including a second opening through said rigid concave recessed surface and connecting with a downwardly extending vent tube, and a second tubular opening through the resilient convex surface of said pivotal closure member aligned with said second concave opening when said closure member is in open position, whereby air is admitted to the bottle enclosure to displace liquid poured therefrom and to enable steady continuous pouring.
 2. a tubular spout opening through said cap closure member having one end in alignment with the second opening through said concave surface when in the open position and the other end elevated above the rim of said body member, a. said one end of said spout being sealed against said first concave arcuate surface and the other end being depressed below the rim of said body member when said cap closure member is pivoted to the closed position.
 3. a tubular spout opening through said closure member and having, a. an entrance port in the convex surface of said closure member in alignment with the opening through said concave surface of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and b. an exit port at the opposite end of said tubular spout extending above the top rim of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and; C. a pliable relatively soft resilient plastic molded insert formed on one of said arcuately curved slidably engageable surfaces and deformable into intimate pressure sealing engagement with the other adjacent arcuate surface when said pivotal closure member is in its closed position.
 3. a first concave arcuate surface in the bottom of said recess substantially covering the mouth of a bottle to which said body is sealed,
 3. a rigid portion of said closure member movable into said recess as said closure member is pivoted to an open position, a. said rigid portion limiting the pivotal movement of said cover member by engagement with a top surface within said recess,
 3. A pivotal dispensing bottle cap as defined in claim 1 and including a skirt portion depending from one edge of said cap closure member opposite to the other end of said spout opening,
 3. first means on said skirt portion for securing said cap member to the top of a bottle,
 3. first means on said skirt portion for securing said cap member to the top of a bottle,
 4. further means within said skirt portion cooperative with said first means for effecting sealing engagement of said cap member with the annular lip of a bottle to which said cap member is secured by said first means,
 4. further means within said skirt portion cooperative with said first means for effecting sealing engagement of said cap member with the annular lip of a bottle to which said cap member is secured by said first means,
 4. a tubular spout opening through said closure member and having, a. an entrance port in the convex surface of said closure member in alignment with the opening through said concave surface of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position, and b. an exit port at the opposite end of said tubular spout extending above the top rim of said cap member when said closure member is in its open position.
 4. first and second openings through said concave surface connecting said cavity with the mouth of a bottle to which said body is sealed, a. an open tube extending from said first opening downwardly for a distance approximately equal to the length of said skirt portion,
 4. A dispensing bottle cap having a pivotal closure top manually operable to pivot between a closed position providing a leak-proof pressure seal and an open position providing an exposed spout for continuous pouring, comprising in combination, A. a rigid molded plastic body member having a depending annular skirt portion adapted to receive and surround the mouth of a bottle,
 5. a pair of opposed arcuate bearing surfaces formed on opposite vertical walls within said recessed cavity above said first arcuate surface forming aligned bearing sockets having a center of curvature located on the axis of said first arcuate surface, and; B. a pivotal cap closure member receivable in said body recess and pivotable between said first arcuate surface and said bearing surfaces into open or closed positions,
 5. A liquid dispensing bottle cap comprising an combination, A. a cap member formed of rigid molded plastic having a recess formed in the top thereof,
 5. at least one opening through said rigid concave surface connecting said recess with the opening of a bottle to which said cap member is secured;
 5. at least one opening through said concave surface connecting said recess with the opening of a bottle to which said cap member is secured,
 6. opposed pivotal bearing means within said recess and formed integrally with said cap member, B. a pivotal closure member receivable in said recess and having,
 6. opposed pivotal bearing means within said recess and formed integrally with said cap member, and; B. a pivotal closure member receivable in said recess and having, 